UPDATE: Our Instagram friends tell us that Nigel de Jong's tattoos, as shown above, are by Ade Itameda.

I swore to myself that I wasn't going to do a World Cup tattoo post, but after being inundated with news articles on player and fan tattoo tributes, I'm falling for the hype -- and doing so because there's actually good work out there on the field. [Less so in the stands and in front of TVs.] So I culled through the many, many news articles and came up with some worth checking:

Let's first ignore the tired cliche "Once sported only by biker gangs, outlaws, and sailors, tattoos are now
..." that begins the IBN article "11 players in FIFA World Cup 2014 with the coolest tattoos ever!" Yup, quite a statement. But there are some decent picks from the mass of tattooed soccer/futball players. For one, the traditional Samoan sleeve (shown below) of Australia's Tim Cahill (as discussed in these videos). According to IBN, "The sleeve on his left arm has his Samoan roots from his maternal family with a symbolic lifeline of his grandmother after she died, linking it with that of his own and his parents." Then there's that photo of USA's Tim Howard, who also stripped down for PETA's Ink Not Mink campaign -- as a personal favor to me.

The Telegraphs' "The 10 best tattooed footballers" is more about the best players and not the best tattoos, but the list includes Nigel de Jong (photo above) who has some interesting blackwork. Check more of Nigel's tattoos on his Instagram. And even if all the tattoos on this list are not that artful, some of the stories behind them are worth a read.

The Daily Fail's photo piece on players wasn't as bad as their usual tattoo coverage. I particularly liked the focus on the footballers with full sleeves, with discussion on some of the details. Naturally, they referenced David Beckham as the inspiration. And speaking of Beckham inspiration: thank you, H & M.

What discussion of soccer tattoos would be complete without those "wacky fans"? Following the tradition that sports tributes make for the most questionable of decisions, this Dutch fan did not disappoint with these portraits of Louis van Gaal and Robin van Persie, just after 2 World Cup games. I guess it's called FIFA fever for a reason.

Looks like The Hangover 2 continues to suffer some bad tattoo juju. First, the controversy surrounding who would play the small role of tattoo artist in the film. And now, the tattoo design itself.

Victor Whitmill, who did Mike Tyson's infamous facial tattoo in 2003, is suing Warner Bros. for copyright infringement in pirating his tattoo design "without attempting to contact [him], obtain his permission, or credit his creation"; he seeks damages and an injunction to stop the use of the tattoo in the film--which is essentially a big part of the movie. In The Hangover 2, a bachelor party once again leaves our wacky heroes with no clue of what happened the night before, except for a facial tattoo on the groom Stu (Ed Helms). There's also a monkey. See the trailer below.

Tattoos. Copyright. The media is loving it. But in so many discussions of the case, there's a great deal of misinformation, so I'd like to break it down as best as I can.

First, when I wrote "The Tattoo Copyright Controversy for BMEzine in 2003, I approached it like a law school hypothetical; that is, I played with how intellectual property rules would apply in various potential disputes involving the ownership of a custom tattoo design. It was hypothetical because, at the time, no actual cases on record could be found specifically addressing this issue. Well, a lot has changed since 2003. Tattoo artists have sued companies for infringement and a number have received large settlements. Even collectors, like model & photographer Amina Munster [NSFW], have registered their tattoos with the US Copyright Office to discourage other collectors from copying.

The basics behind "The Tattoo Copyright Controversy still hold in addressing what exactly is copyright and its relation to tattoos. A couple of years later, I updated the article for Rankmytattoos.com and continued to post developments on my old Needled.com blog. So click these article links for more of a general discussion.

In this post, I'm going to break down the tattoo copyright issues in relation to Whitmill v. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., (E.D. Missouri), what I'll call:

In addition to the Miss Tattoo Australia photo gallery, the Courier Mail has an article on the "fast-growing female tattoo culture" in Australia. The article also mentions the Surf 'n' Ink tattoo convention on the Gold Coast taking place this weekend.

Read this article on Sarawak women whose tattoos once marked status and beauty, but today, are rarely seen except on the elderly. Reviving Filipino tattoo traditions are the Tatak Ng Apat Na Alon Tribe. Last year, members traveled to the Kalinga mountains for the Kalinga Batok (tattoo festival) and had a chance to tattoo and be tattooed by local elders, including 89-year-old tattooist Whang Od. Read more (and see photos) about that festival in this great article by Lars Krutak. [The Revival chapter in my Black Tattoo Art book also features the Tribe and traditional Filipino tattooing.]

Tattoos for beauty and status can be found in Chanel's upcoming line of trompe-l'œil temporary tattoos shown during their Spring-Summer 2010 fashion show. The transfer will go for about $75 US (50 Euros) at Chanel stores and high-end boutiques beginning March 1st. Fashion divas Susanh Breslin and Samantha of the fabulous Haute Macabre sent me the Chanel links, and we all agreed to reserve judgment until we saw them in person, but as I told Sam, I think transfer tattoos are perfect for people who really shouldn't get tattoos (like the guy at the gym with the armband that only goes half-way around his bicep who thinks we both have something in common). At $75 a pop though, it's still a commitment, financially.

For more faux tattoos in fashion and home decor, check NBC San Diego's Imitation Ink gallery.

To cleanse that frightening bunch outta ya mind, check out the exciting tattoo artistry of Amanda Wachob of DareDevil Tattoo, who experiments with abstract forms and conceptual design but can also do a solid, clean traditional tattoo. I met Amanda at our launch party Friday and she told me about an abstract tattoo project she's working on -- also mentioned on DevilCity Press -- where 8-10 people will be chosen to get a large tattoo, free. More details on that coming up later this week.

Amanda's conceptual art got me thinking of the lines and dots found on the oldest recorded tattooed person: Otzi the Iceman; however, a recent news item discusses how his tattoos have proved to be medicinal, not aesthetic. The article explains:

"There are groups of one, two, three, four and
seven tattoo lines parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body, and
so they're parallel to Chinese acupuncture meridians." The
cross-shaped tattoo on his knee, and another one on his left ankle,
also lay over Chinese acupuncture "trigger points," the researchers
believe. Strengthening their argument is the fact that the soot-made
markings are located on parts of the iceman's body not typical for
tattoo displays, diminishing the notion that they served a more
ornamental, aesthetic function.

But this prejudice is not so surprising after also reading weekly stories of idiots who use the art as a gimmick like this guy who got a tattoo to win a PalmPre phone. Of course, with the cost of the tattoo (and subsequent lasering I'm sure), he coulda just bought the PalmPre and been spared our mockery. Mock, mock, mock.

Alas, the sweet press for the studio has backfired because now the NYPD and the NYC Health Department are looking into Rihanna tattooing without a license -- a misdemeanor offense that could mean fines and loss of license for East Side's owner. It's not confirmed, however, whether the city has opened an investigation into the unlicensed tattooing.

In more illegal ink news, this dude was jailed for tattooing minors but it should've been for his "online tattooing school." Note to self: ask my next tattooist to see license and diploma from Bob's Tattoo School.

The problem with unlicensed tattooing is the risk of severe infection, never mind shitty umbrella art.

Perfect example: this tattoo gone wrong law suit [via NSFW Modblog] where three friends walked into a Morgan Hill, California shop and walked out with massive staph infections. One posted this puss-filled tattoo (below) on HelpMeSue.com, also noting they researched the studio and found it was not yet licensed by the health department. It would have been better, of course, if such research was done prior to dirty tattooing. The image is a reminder to do our homework on the artist and shop opening our skin.

Infection may be common at unlicensed shops but I wouldn't go as far as ex-MTV veejay Jancee Dunn's fear of "rampant hepatitis" -- the argument she gave her over-60 mom who decided to get tattooed. But the super cool mom ignored such drama and gave the best reason for wanting a tattoo -- simply because she liked it:

"I've passed midlife. Your generation thinks every action has to be
fueled by some major psychological motive. You know what? I just want
some art on my body. And I like ravens."

Quebec Superior Court judge has ruled that a dress code for day care workers forcing employees to cover-up tattoos was in violation of their rights.Supported by the daycare worker union in Quebec, Nadine Bélisle can now show off the snake tattoo on her shoulder blade. The union president said "We agree that if a tattoo is sexist, racist or violent it should be
camouflaged. But I don't see
how children are going to be traumatized by a flower on someone's
ankle." The lawyer for the daycare argued the board put the general ban in place so they did not have to make the decision of what tattoos are deemed suitable. The judge didn't dig that argument and found that the ban "rests on prejudices." The Globe and Mail further quotes the Judge Jean Bouchard:

"Tattooing nowadays is a phenomenon that cuts across all levels of
society," he wrote. "If it was once associated with delinquents, that's
no longer the case."

The daycare's policy forced an employee with a tattoo of a butterfly
or flower on her forearm or calf to wear pants or a long-sleeved shirt,
even while working under a hot summertime sun, he wrote.

Eric has been getting tattooed for over 20 years but saved room on his upper arm to mark the birth of his beautiful daughter Hayden (both shown right). And as Hayden was born on a full moon, he added one behind her name and above it a rose with a pink diamond in it. Ok everyone, time for a group "aaawww."